Who Else Can Take You Higher? [I]

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"Fuck yeah!"

A small pocket of paradise had been found in the barren mountains.

Where two shallower mountains dipped into one another, a valley formed; the soil and rock that lay here, close to sea level, was rich and had blossomed into fauna and flora aplenty with the spring, leaving it abundant for the summer days, if perhaps not quite as vibrant. The last flowers of the trees were about to drop, but as a compromise, the green of their leaves was fuller than ever; they hung, just above head-height, enclosing the duo in brackets of dappled shade and the scent of nature.

Presently, Kaede had paused to take a low-hanging branch lightly upon the hand and draw the smells it held through his nose, sighing in satisfaction. Katsumi, a little ways ahead of him, scooped up a bunch of fallen petals in her arms and gayly tossed them skyward, just as she might have when she were five. The shower returned to her, some of its contents alighting upon her frame. She looked positively radiant, and as Kaede looked on, he was glad... if also a little wondering.

"We never spend a moment apart, and yet you always know exactly where we should go, sis. Places I've never been." He stated, not ungratefully. Katsumi responded by smiling backwards at him. "Isn't it cool?" She implored, and he chuckled in response; all that she needed. She busily went back to her flowers.

"You're in a good mood today, sis." Kaede observed, forsaking his branch and moving forward a little.

"M'hm!" She responded simply, and sort of leaned against one particular stump for no apparent reason, as though showing it affection. Kaede could not help but laugh again at how easily she was amused.

It was an infinitely glad thing.[/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] It seemed as if the delightful little traveler had found a haven of flowers and secrets. The perfect recipe for her naive mind. She bounded through the fields like a flying monkey on steroids, and due to the psychotic entity that dwelled inside her; there wasn't much room for rest. The only individuals to look after her, however, were the curved mountains looming over her dainty figure. She was having far too much fun sniffing the roses anyway. She seemed to having such a ball basking in the beauty of the landscape, taking every moment that beat down on her like the sun. The petals floating nonchalantly in were a nice effect to the already exquisite picture, and the logic of Aimi decided that it'd be a perfect idea to follow the sporadic path in which they took. She took one for herself too, admiring the colours it so perfectly flaunted. It wasn't long until she crossed path with two black cats blocking the road. Unfortunately, Aimi's love of people and her absent mindedness hid the unlucky fate they carried with them. The distorted idealist casually strode over with eyes that seemed to see through their incarnations as if they were nothing more than glass. A smile touching the sky just added to the delusion that was so easily spread across the ill girl's face. But it seemed as if she was no more psychopathic than the two; combined or not. She started the conversation off with a simple and abrupt "Hello, friend," for Aimi was never one for witty or thoughtful lines. Acting as if she was nothing more than an old acquaintance whom had had a hearty chat with the two. The one that took away most of her focus was a girl sided against a clump of wood. Aimi was of course still holding the petal in her hand; now clamped with sweat and pressure. She thought it would be a perfect present to presume her welcoming, so she hopped on over to the mistress with a twinkle in her eyes. "Here, take this," nothing could've been more adorable than the smile she shone. Even her cold, dead fish eyes were masked by an unsettling amount of hope. She fisted the air with the lilac petal in hand, waiting for the girl to take it. But of course, the blissful entity had forgotten her manners! So after a little giggle she shyly responded (as shy as Aimi could be) with what she should've said in the beginning. "Oh, by the way: My name's Aimi. It's nice to meet you!" The girl was quite pleased with her entrance, and only waited for just as much of a response.

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"Hm?"

Katsumi's head twisted around to observe her brother leaning against a trunk of his own, hands pocketed, posture slouched, only now his warm, chocolate eyes had hardened as they stared forth at what was no doubt some new development. Katsumi flicked her gaze forth to follow his, and found herself looking towards a stranger on the approach, a beautiful, blue-haired nymph that skipped through the veil of petals without a hint of discomfort at the twin presences she had encountered.

This, Katsumi liked. She shrugged away from her tree.

"Hello, friend," The girl greeted, and the twins replied in kind.

"Hey there."
"Hello."

Both were intrigued, one was somber. Kaede tensed at her nonchalant approach, and he followed the stranger's form with inspecting, careful eyes. He, too, shrugged off his tree to converge on the girl, who seemed younger than them both - if only by a little, and she was probably more mature than Katsumi anyhow - and was most definitely shorter. The female twin was presented immediately with a gift.

This, Katsumi liked. She took the flower petal, strange as it was, and admired it for a moment, before continuing to follow the flighty girl's progress with her own eyes.

Kaede, however, had to interrupt. "Excuse me, but I would like to know jus-"

"Oh, by the way: My name's Aimi. It's nice to meet you!"

'Well, that's half my question answered.'

"-t what you're doing here, then." He was wary.

Katsumi, won over already, accused him with a glare. "Oh shut up, brother. She's adorable, and she gave me this." She extended the petal towards him; he contemplated it with a raised brow. "It's a petal." "It's pretty!"

This settled, Katsumi turned back to the Aimi girl and smiled at her. "Sorry about my brother, he's really cautious and stuff. I'm Katsumi, and his name is Kaede." There was no need to state the joy of the meeting; that much was evident in her demeanor, or at least it should have been. Katsumi did cast a sly glance at her sibling at having introduced him when she thought the role might have been felt to be stolen. The brother showed full appreciation of the maneuver in his slight grimace, and stopped in his tracks; now both siblings stood above the smaller girl.

It had to be said, they both thought her rather pleasant to admire, which is perhaps why their guards had both been lowered quickly. Which meant that Katsumi's guard was basically on the negative.

Standing side by side as they were, virtually the same height, with near-matching hair, eye colour and similar facial structures. They both regarded her with similar smiles, though Katsumi had always looked a little ravenous in the expression, whether as Kaede was only gentle.

"Indeed. I did not expect to meet anyone out here, Aimi. Well, we did not."
"I totally expected it."
"You had no clue what to expect."
"..."
"So, where do you come from? This place is rather... isolated to be nearby anywhere."[/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] It seemed as if her little intro had taken the interest of what seemed to be a very tall, very headstrong lady - the one she brought the petal to. The male, on the other hand, was more than hostile to the adorable sprite. Even so Aimi took a liking to his mundane reaction. She was just about to reply to his question, too, but nonetheless interrupted by his partner. "Oh shut up, brother. She's adorable, and she gave me this." She flung the petal in his direction, but he gave only an unimpressed glance in return. Aimi was still fathomed at how little spiked the woman's affection, but this just made her more curious of the two. They seemed so close; so in syn with each other that she wondered if it were possible for them to perform a little dance routine for her right on the spot. "Sorry about my brother, he's really cautious and stuff. I'm Katsumi, and his name is Kaede." She smiled sweetly at the girl, but darted her eyes towards Kaede, who seemed to finally be entering the scene. Anyone else other than Aimi, would've felt their height looming over them as a threat. But not for the fearless - or perhaps it was ignorant - Aimi. She beamed in their direction, still carrying a slight twinkle of insanity symmetrical in both eyes. Those eyes of her were definitely something: filled with hope and no regret; dazzled with screams and psychotic anger cloaked with a mask of something that just didn't seem... right. Her cute charm would probably take over any signs of doubt that she expressed. "Indeed. I did not expect to meet anyone out here, Aimi. Well, we did not." She was just about to respond, but the two seemed to be ignoring her for the moment, even thought he'd posed the question specifically to her. "I totally expected it." "You had no clue what to expect." "..." "So, where do you come from? This place is rather... isolated to be nearby anywhere." She chuckled at their expense, for their little sketch was quite amusing to a girl who'd never really experienced "true" comedy. The certainly seemed like a delgithful bunch. As such, she answered his question with delight. Oh I don't have a home. I'm a traveller." Her smile grew wider as she spoke, with ambition and dreams spiraling around in her head. The hope she carried was so outspoken and extravagant, that no one could see it as anything more than adorable. Possibly giving her a pat on the head to demonstrate how patronizing she made herself. "I want to see everything the world has to offer." Admittedly, there was something eery - obsessive, maybe - about her tone. She said it in such a way; as if nothing would stop her achieving such a goal. Even if someone other than her, maybe her, would have to suffer. Although she did jolt her head in Kaede's direction, and threw a gaze of adorable charm indulged in innocence upon him.

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[/i][/color] The thought came to Kaede, some phrase he had read from some book long past; it was entirely his kind of motto, and its occurrence then troubled him, as was shown in his brow. She lived 'nowhere'?

...Well, so did they.

Their headbands were not on display; Kaede had kept them in his jacket, and he was not sure if their reveal would be a help or a hindrance at this point. On one hand, marking themselves as warriors of a state may not have been wise. On the other, he felt that the title of shinobi was somewhat impressive, and just in that moment he wanted to be impressive.

Fortune would have it that Katsumi's thought were running the same trail.

Unabashed, she reached around, pulled her brother's coat back and dug her hand directly into the compartments their respective symbols were held within, ferreting for them even as Kaede protested. She didn't even look at him, keeping her eyes locked on Aimi instead. "Hey, Aimi, one sec, I got something to show you!" She proclaimed while doing this, and gained a grasp on one of the metal plates - whose was whose had never been an issue - and withdrew it, the cloth band proudly displaying its engraved plate metal as Katsumi held it up above head height, the fabric falling between her fingers. "Ta-da! We're Cloud Ninja." She published, grinning broadly.

Kaede groaned his displeasure, both at the audacious reveal and at having been robbed of a second opportunity. Then he sighed, and further retrieved his own mark, flashing it from near his coat with far less grandeur.

"That we are." He said.
'Damn it, sis.' He thought.

"Isn't it cool?" The female twin urged in the direction of her audience. Without thinking, she groped for the sword at her belt, and then realized it wasn't there. Her dismay was evident in her pout. "Oh yeah. We left my stuff behind. Fuck." Then she looked up at the girl. "I'm really good with swords. I love cutting things."

The glee in her tone only extricated a further sigh from the brother, but it naturally flowed into a chuckle.[/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] Aimi's keen eyes were once again disturbed by the allegedly spontaneous Katsumi. "Hey, Aimi, one sec, I got something to show you!" Her eyes twinkled at the wonders that this girl could possibly possess. Her renowned curiosity would always shine in moments like these. "What? What what what?!" She agitated the mountain of a woman even more as she delved into her friend's coat pockets, fumbling around for something Aimi desperately wanted to see. Eventually she drew her hand out and after pronouncing "Ta-da! We're Cloud Ninja." Shone the headband she was now holding in Aimi's face. She could hear and unimpressed Kaede groaning in the background. Possibly out of boredom, but she was too amazed by the fact that she was standing right in front of real live ninjas She'd read about them before, coming to think of them as some sort sort of supernatural beings that watched over their country like owls, day and night. Never resting in the fight for justice! Of course Aimi cared far too little about justice or any sort of good deed they did: Their cool tricks she'd heard about were impressive enough. "That we are." His tone duller than uncut wood saddened the little girl, and of course she couldn't have that. How could she sit there while one of her friends was unhappy? Even so, she was also distracted by her discussion with Katsumi of ninjas. After all; it wasn't often that she got a chance like today to meet real live ninjas. "Isn't it cool?" "Yes it's AMAZING!" Everything about her was filled with awe. To a stranger it would’ve seemed as if she was worshiping her two ninja friends. Placing their tall ninja bodies on high ninja pedestals. The girl seemed to finger her sides. Searching for something that she obviously didn't have, which drew a curious expression upon the young Aimi's face. "Oh yeah. We left my stuff behind. Fuck." She looked back up to Aimi, and she reciprocated another adorable stare. She still didn't stare into Katsumi's eyes though; more so through them. As if she was gazing far into the distance. Luckily, the lovely Katsumi appeared too strong a character to notice such a thing. But she might. "I'm really good with swords. I love cutting things." "Awesome! What kinda stuff do you cut?" She phrased the question so casually to such a sadistic statement. It was amazing how little phased such an innocent girl. However she didn't want to be a terrible friend and forget about Kaede too. He'd been seeming displeased with her presence from the start after all, so she posed a question with the type of sincerity she could only carry. "Hey Kaede, why are you so sad?"

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[/i][/color] Kaede thought grimly.
"People!" Katsumi exclaimed happily.

After a moment bearing her elated expression, an unfortunate attachment to that statement occurred to Katsumi, and she frowned. "Not you, though." She assured, and cast a glance at Kaede. "My brother doesn't let me cut just anyone." She mourned, then replicated her previous realization. "But I wouldn't hurt you even if I could!" She again hurried to inform, and Kaede could not help but give a low chuckle. 'Such high praise.'[/color] He thought, the irony of its truth adding a second layer of amusement.

He was snapped from his inattention, however, when Aimi addressed him directly. "Hey Kaede, why are you so sad?" The question disarmed him, and both twins looked confused at this shattering of usual discourse. 'Am I sad?' He thought, and it hit him rather hard. He remembered when he had always smiled, always shown the world a happy face. He could not help catching his sister's concerned eyes. 'Are you sad?' They echoed, and he knew that his lack of immediate response made it rhetoric enough. He looked down, and knew that, even though most of the fault may have lain with his sister, he could not blame her; she was merely being herself, and that should never desolate or birth reproach in him.

Katsumi observed this dejected behaviour, and could not help but feel the same sadness inside herself. She pouted, and then suddenly an idea occurred to her. She leaned over to Aimi and took her over the shoulder, drawing her into a private confine. "I think he likes you." She whispered.

She drew away, satisfied that she had planted a sufficiently cheering seed, never once considering that the plant that grew may well bear the fruit of jealousy for her. But, of course, she had never been the most foresighted individual.

Kaede had observed the exchange, and for once, his sister's actions were an enigma. He was slightly troubled by the impish smile she seemed to be trying to very hard to contain that she gave him, however. He looked towards Aimi, confused, though he felt it perhaps better he remained ignorant of the correspondence's finer details. He summoned a gentle smile, and found it not to be all that fraudulent.

"I'm not sad." He granted, pleasantly. [/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] The two seemed to contemplate such a simple question but Aimi awaited their response with a happy amount of patience. After all this was a question that she felt needed care and comfort to answer. A 'yes' or 'no' would easily suffice, however she thought one would still need to decide between the two. Answers seemed such an intricate thing to her; questions were so much better. She had seen a look of worry strike Katsumi's face, as she turned to lock eyes with her partner. Aimi still didn't know the exact situation of the two. She assumed they were a couple but they also seemed incredibly similar appearance-wise, so they could easily be siblings. The only thing that conflicted with her hypothesis of them being related was the spark of affection the two seemed to kindle. Although on much more contemplation, it could be their brotherly/sisterly love? She wasn't really experienced in the love department, so she had no right to judge. It was while she was deducing their relationship, that Katsumi decided to grow inexplicably close closing into her and whispered something into her ear. "I think he likes you." Aimi was quite surprised to hear what she'd been told. Especially to how cold Kaede had been acting. Perhaps he was always like this. She quickly vaporized all thoughts of them being a couple in her mind, but the idea still seemed to linger there. After all, it was completely possible that ‘like’ meant something far more innocent, even for what seemed to be quite an overprotective and loud mouthed woman. ”I’m not sad.” He stated with a chirpier attitude than before. This irked a grin upon Aimi’s face, glad to see that she’d helped a friend out. She retorted with quite a cheeky attitude and then turned back to Katsumi to continue their conversation. ”Good." Her smile growing just a little bit bigger, followed my a cute little squeak so quiet, only Katsumi would be able to hear. It was an odd habit of hers, but one too subtle to really be pointed out. She continued her conversation with Katsumi anyway, taking too much time away for a response. Oh, hey Katsumi? Where do you guys live then?” She thought the question acceptable seeing as how they addressed the same thing. She also hoped that she could sidle along with them, too. It would give her a perfect chance to travel and enjoy herself. Maybe even learn out the pair a bit more too. They did seem to interest her quite a bit, but she couldn't put her finger on why. But before finishing off her part of the conversation, she reminded herself of the question that had been digging around her head. Before it was too late, she quickly blurted out what she wanted to say. Oh, and can I ask why you guys are together too?" Aimi wasn't one to care about social rules or consequences. Being isolated your whole can do that. Still, her stainless face reconciled any traces of annoyance or displeasure people usually had with her.

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[/color] She inquired, and immediately there was the slightest twinge of alarm between the twins. "Erm..." Was all Katsumi produced, before the twins glanced at one another, and Kaede took up the question. "We live in our village." He answered calmly, with a small, reassuring smile. It was not a lie.

Her questions did not cease. "Oh, and can I ask why you guys are together too?" Came the question, tumbling out of her as though breaking its bonds. Again, the twins exchanged a glance, though this one was a little confused. "We're twins." They answered in perfect unison, cracking identical little smiles for Aimi. It was a fact they were both rather proud of - or at least pleased at. Again they exchanged a glance, both thinking the same thing.

'We couldn't live apart.'

They struck another chord of thought at the same time, and looked back towards the younger girl. It was Kaede who spoke. "Speaking of which, Aimi, you don't have anybody with you?" He inquired, and naturally looked around, though it was a casual action. "My apologies, but you seem a little young to be traveling alone."

"More like badass." Katsumi corrected, still observing her newest source of fascination with a rather soft-eyed fondness.

'Surely not...'[/i] Kaede thought, half seeing and half feeling his sister's expression. He definitely seemed to be observing Katsumi in her hormonal prime, and the girl had never been one for social conformity (that and she often shared the body of a male; what sort of chemical confusion that entailed was uncertain), but... surely not?[/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] "Speaking of which, Aimi, you don't have anybody with you?" The question startled Aimi; she wasn't expecting such as intrusive answer, excluding the fact that she's usually one to ask such questions. However he did follow up with a line that added to his passive persona. "My apologies, but you seem a little young to be traveling alone." She rather enjoyed his sensitive and thoughtful expression: His smile was most certainly his greatest attribute, filled with love and kindness. In a way it was sort of nurturing. But, before she could answer him with joy Katsumi butted in. "More like badass." Aimi filled with the glee at the thought of being a 'badass'. The term seemed to suit her quite well. And as such, a smile drilled itself upon her face, leaving little to hide her pride. She was so wrapped up in her moment of contemplation that she didn't even notice yet another odd glance pass between the twins. If she had, maybe she'd of pondered their relationship with suspicion, or possibly take caution to the type of people they were. "I'm very much a badass, because I'm not traveling with anyone" The childish innocence and determination she carried in her voice was all too much. One might call it overdone, maybe cheesy too. Aimi wasn't one to care, though. If there's one thing isn't good at, it's conformity. However it was while she was thinking such thoughts a darkened figment entered her view. She was entrapped in such a relaxed manor that a sign of danger - especially for such an oblivious girl as herself - she didn't even realize the sense of danger rippling through her spine. The figure seemed to get closer, but whether or not the couple had caught sight of the creature approaching was none of her concern. The idiot in disguise wasn't observant enough to grasp the thing taking a rather hefty glance at her.

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[/i]. Probably really strong; she couldn't imagine anybody could travel alone without any sort of Kaede-like person accompanying them and live all that long without being really powerful. Her exhilaration was visible; she seemed to be resisting detonation as she tensed in her excitement, bracing herself for the next question she was to ask.

Kaede did not even have time to expect it, it was that swift. "So, do you like girls?" It burst, swift and riding on such optimism that it was almost rhetorical. It was not even specific, and Kaede had time to realize that Aimi's naivete could easily have her misinterpret the question as he promptly turned on the spot and traversed only a short distance across the petal-strewn ground to smack his forehead, quite directly, into a tree-trunk, where he remained for some time.

Oblivious - willingly or not - the older girl waited, tilting towards Aimi slightly as though over a ledge, full of expectation. The black of her eyes was hardly ever so radiant, though it could have said to have been just as ravenous before.

Only, not for the same reasons.

The boy was momentarily failing his duty; with his face planted into the tree in angry mourning, he did not spot the threat that loomed.[/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] "So, do you like girls?" The question came loud and sudden, intruding whatever thought process Aimi was currently preoccupied. But Aimi was not disturbed by this - in fact she found herself to be rather grateful, having given such a thing to ponder on. Of course her naivety took the lead of her strategic thinking, so she immediately assumed the question was not one of sexual nature, but more so spoken from a far more innocent stand point. She also took it to mean that perhaps Katsumi meant it a subtle way; that Aimi did not like her. Appalled by what she thought she'd come to express, she immediately raced to her answer in some sort of outrage. What are you talking about?! Of COURSE I like girls!" Her face said it all: She was confident in her manor and didn't even think that any possibility other than her own could possibly be correct. But she had not forgotten about dear little Kaede either, so with a slight stutter she spouted her clumsiness once again. Oh, and boys too." Her blissful ignorance would've been an annoyance to her peers if not for her adorable little charm. Quite a combination for each of her flaws could easily be overlooked by the involuntary cuteness of hers. But it would be none too soon that her delirious attitude would soon be shattered by whatever was approaching the group. Aimi's awareness was anything but sharp, but perhaps the two tall madmen who'd taken a liking her could suffice. For that once daunting shadow seemed to be approaching at far great a pace. If only Aimi could've turned her head at a precisely 90 degree angle to the left, then perhaps she would've spotted such a beast.

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Such enthusiasm caused Katsumi's dark eyes to sparkle, and a sly and suddenly very knowing smile crept up her features. "Good." She said quietly, a bit of breeze rustling through the petal-washed landscape and idly teasing her black neck-length locks. It was not an unkind smile, though; just a tad sly one, and Katsumi raised her hands tenderly toward the younger girl's cheeks and...

Oh, but Kaede had heard that tone.

He spun away from his tree, the tan length of his coat whipping around with him. An arm was extended desperately. "Sis, no!" He shouted, cutting of Aimi's other speech and, more annoyed than anything, Katsumi stopped and turned to face him. "What?" She demanded, staring daggers again. Kaede was, of course, not fazed. "You can't just do that all the time, damn it!" He admonished her, striding forwards. Even though the female twin would have stood her ground to a three-headed lion, the sight of her brother angry somehow sapped all of her courage; cowed, she took a step back, and one arm went to clutch the other.

"Sorry, brother." She apologized, downcast. This, in turn, sapped the life out of the male, and he sighed at her disappointment. "Apologize to Aimi, not me." He instructed, but there was no heart in it; he had bent to place hands upon knees, a little dejected himself. It was when he happened to turn his head right that he observed something looming in the shade of a blossom tree...

Nothing friendly loomed.

Instantly, Kaede erected himself and spun to face the anomaly directly; 'twas vaguely humanoid, and taller than any of them. The shade of the mountain whose valley the twins and company resided within darkened its countenance. The male twin did his best to produce a welcoming smile as he strode a few paces forward, ready to defend his sister and the other girl at a moment's notice.

Katsumi had caught sight of the figure too, but was not quite as astute or concerned in her reaction. With Kaede distracted, the girl quickly took Aimi's right hand and raised it to her lips; if it were not forcibly reclaimed, she would kiss it lightly and smile warmly and covertly at the smaller, before turning about to where her brother faced, and skipped over, almost bringing herself level with him.

"Hello, friend," Kaede called across what was almost a twenty meter space. "How are you today?"

Despite the pleasantries, Kaede thought he heard steel grate on steel from across the distance. He sighed. "Not in the best of moods, perhaps." He commented, much softer.

Katsumi grinned demonically.[/ul][/size]

[Yuki | Aimi]

[atrb=border,0,false] The smile that crept up on Katsumi's face, was exposed as a rather sly one. Of course, Aimi thought nothing of it. Merely threw one back. The girl reached for her hand, which Aimi granted, unacquainted with what might be Katsumi's true intents. But it seemed whatever could've happened, was cosseted by Kaede as he interjected their conversation. However this left a bewildered Aimi just listening in on a rather confusing argument because nothing more guilt-free came to mind than hand holding. Yes, Katsumi was presumably a bit odd with more than one screw loose but this gave no mitigation to the innocence of such an action. "Sorry, brother." She spoke but was only instructed to turn the apology to Aimi, which she undoubtedly objected to given the smidgen of knowledge she held on just what wrong doing Katsumi had done. However this baffling moment was soon led astray by the intrusion of a random stranger angling his direction towards them. It was the type of stranger you'd meet in an alleyway, too; nothing friendly became of him. While Kaede strode a few paces forward towards the figure, Katsumi latched onto Aimi's hand, pouring it into her own. As such, she drew breath and placed a kissed on Aimi's hand. Being unfamiliar with such situations, Aimi just let the performance take place, and then followed Katsumi to her brother's side. Thinking nothing of it. "Hello, friend," Kaede taunted the stranger with a confident and polite manor, to what was pretty much the opposite. "How are you today?" The thing groaned in reply, which only made Aimi squint at it with a more intrusive glance. After all, this stranger could be friend or foe as far as she was sure. The others seemed ready for a fight though; she could even feel Katsumi's adrenaline raring up from where she stood.

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[/color] He gave quite simply, with a kind smile and a shrug of the shoulder. Katsumi, knowing her brother's efforts to be vain, had her smile grow salacious. That was enough attempted reason to comfort her dear brother's conscience, she reckoned; a hand went up over her shoulder to clasp at one of the hilts that she knew she would find there...

...She found none, and cursed quietly. "No swords." She explained briefly to the girl at her side, confiding in her, whether or not the question was asked. Now her expression was merely irritated as fuck.

The dark figure seemed to be judging them, still. "I'd ask you to put that away, friend. It has no place here, today." Kaede offered further, and there was but the tiniest hint of authority in his voice, now. Kumogakure no Sato might not have held much official sanction, but the gleam of their headbands was still a threat. And though neither of the twins looked entirely matured, they were technically adult. The stranger was outnumbered, if not out-armed. How confident was he in his own ability? Kaede wondered, thoughtful in the depths of his pleasant brown eyes.

"Brother, I haven't got my -" "I know." Kaede cut his sister off, both because he had indeed factored in what she was about to say and because he did not want this supposed criminal personage to understand anything of their predicament. "But I c-" "I know." He said again, louder this time, for the possibilities were narrowing fast, and the remaining likelihoods were not at all pleasant in his mind...

"...I don't think I will." Was heard then, low and collected. "I think I'm going to kill all three of you, and take whatever you have." The stranger wore a wide-brimmed hat that tipped over his visage, shielding it, even as he walked forward and into clarity, then; he wore a dark and slightly frayed coat, and the blade seemed to be roughly three feet long. 'Not as long as my fucking katanas.' Katsumi thought bitterly, hating how much of a passive observer she was when there was destruction to be wrought.

Resigned, Kaede assumed his stance after a sigh. His right hand was brought up in front of his close, side-facing posture, ready to defend or strike as necessary. Katsumi recognized the pose and frowned. "Brother, are you gonna kill him?" She asked, a little bemused.

Hearing this, the stranger could be heard chuckling darkly, and his stalk accelerated into a mild jog.

"Not if I can help it, sis." The boy said blankly. Then, an odd and usually hidden demon of Kaede's own crept up on him, detaching him from the implication of the ominous words he spoke.

"But I also won't let him hurt either of you."[/ul][/size]

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